The Democratic National Convention made history today by nominating its first female presidential nominee in Hillary Clinton. But the DNC roll call, which allowed delegates from all 50 states, five United States territories, Washington D.C., and Democrats Abroad a chance to officially cast their votes, also taught us some things about the United States.
Last week, Stephen Colbert said the RNC roll call was like a Snapple cap in real life and we couldn't agree more. These facts are often historic, but even more often they're weird, fun, and fascinating.
Many celebrated the people of their delegations. Alaska introduced itself as the most diverse native population in the United States with 229 federally recognized tribes.
American Samoa, a territory located in the South Pacific Ocean, let the world know that per capita it has more men and women in the U.S. armed forces than any other state or territory. Not to mention it's the last place for the sun to set day after day.
Montana is the home of the only farmer in the United States Senate, while North Dakota has the youngest state representative in the nation (the Chairwoman of the Democratic Party, Kylie Oversen, who is 27 years old).
Other states celebrated their geography. Idaho, the Gem State, has the most mountain peaks of any state of the lower 48, the deepest gorge in North America and the longest undammed river in the United States.
Maryland is proud to be the home of Chesapeake Bay, the largest bay in the United States and third largest in the world.
Some facts were hard not get chuckle at like Connecticut letting us know it was the college home of former Yalies President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, but "most importantly" the home of the pizza and the hamburger.
Delaware is the home of Joe Biden, but the state's delegates also want you to know it's the home of tax-free shopping and Gore-Tex.
Utah introduced itself as the "beautiful beehives state" and the number one state for volunteerism.
Many states shared their female firsts to mark this historic convention. The delegates of Iowa introduced the state as being a place of female firsts specifically the University of Iowa becoming the first state university to accept women into its degree program way back in 1857.
Tennessee is the state that ratified the 19th amendment, which gave the women the right to vote. Wyoming was the first state to guarantee women the right to vote and the first state to elect a woman governor.
New Mexico's intro felt like an inside joke that now the rest of us are privy to, saying its state question is red or green — "chili, that is."
The standout though of the DNC roll call though may have been Indiana, a state that decided not to give us facts, but to write a poem about Donald Trump and the Republican Convention, inspired by The Apprentice: "Last week they conspired but their ideas misfired," the delegates said. "Their bigotry is tired, their attacks are uninspired. So Mike Pence and Donald Trump, you are officially fired."
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